Britain’s ‘most expensive council houses’ for sale at £3-million each in Southwark

£3.35m please: one of the former council houses is now on the market following an 18-month refurbishment. Images: Domus Nova

The controversial sale of 21 and 23 Park Street, Borough — billed at the time as the most expensive ex-local authority sell-off in history — saw the investor secure the two neighbouring houses for £2.96 million.

Now, after an 18-month renovation by Camu & Morrison, the first of the houses has been put back on the market — for £3.35 million.

Southwark council granted planning consent for the refurbishment of both houses, including building new conservatories and replacing balconies with “winter gardens”.

Step inside Britain's most expensive council houses

Step inside Britain's most expensive council houses

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Wise investment

A property investor who bought a pair of derelict council houses in Southwark in 2013 is set to sell them for more than £3 million each...

Images: Domus Nova

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Controversial sale

The controversial sale of 21 and 23 Park Street, Borough — billed at the time as the most expensive ex-local authority sell-off in history — saw the investor secure the two neighbouring houses for £2.96 million.

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Done up

The Park Street homes were sold in a state of serious disrepair after years of neglect. They were on English Heritage’s at-risk register and were partly held up by scaffolding.

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Winter gardens

Southwark council granted planning consent for the refurbishment of both houses, including building new conservatories and replacing balconies with “winter gardens”.

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Bright hues

Now, after an 18-month renovation by Camu & Morrison, the first of the houses has been put back on the market — for £3.35 million.

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Colours and textures

The Georgian home combines striking colour and textures with architectural references throughout.

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Playful and fun

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Top location

The houses are in a fabulous location, close to Borough Market, the Shard and Bankside.

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Unique refurbishment

The four-bedroom townhouse now on the market was built in 1830. It is being sold by agent Domus Nova, who describes it as having undergone “one of the most comprehensive and unique rebuilds and refurbishments in recent years”.

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Double your money

It is thought that the second house will be brought to the market soon. If both houses sell at asking price, the investor will have doubled their money.

It is thought that the second house will be brought to the market soon. If both houses sell at asking price, the investor will have doubled their money.

Protesters from campaign group, Housing Action Southwark & Lambeth, briefly occupied the Grade II-listed building, claiming that the council was collaborating in “social cleansing” by selling off council homes to developers interested in creating top-end homes for wealthy UK and international buyers.

Southwark, for its part, said that the money raised would fund the building of about 20 new council homes in the borough.

New: plans included building new conservatories and replacing balconies with “winter gardens”

Councillor Mark Williams, Southwark’s regeneration and new homes chief, defended the sale, saying the council had secured the best possible price for the properties at the time.

“Rather than spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on refurbishing just two homes, this money has allowed us to invest in our council homes,” he said.

“Southwark has an ambitious plan to build 11,000 new council homes for our residents, with the first 21 opening in Bermondsey very soon.”

Refurbished: this revamped four-bedroom townhouse is now on the market for £3.35 million

The Park Street homes were sold in a state of serious disrepair after years of neglect by the council. They were on English Heritage’s at-risk register and were partly held up by scaffolding.

But the houses are in a fabulous location, close to Borough Market, the Shard and Bankside.

According to Zoopla, the average property price in the area stands at just over £580,000, up 20.19 per cent in the past two years.

The four-bedroom townhouse now on the market, built in 1830, is being sold by agent Domus Nova, which describes it as having undergone “one of the most comprehensive and unique rebuilds and refurbishments in recent years”.

“This brave and playful home oozes creativity and personality throughout,” reads the sale brochure. “This Georgian home will engage with every sense, combining striking colourful details and textures with well-balanced architectural references throughout.”